The research proposed here will use published and unpublished data from the 1950, 1960, 1970, and 1980 U.S. censuses to describe the patterns of change in black/white socioeconomic inequality between 1950-1980, in the U.S., its regions, and its individual metropolitan areas. Of particular significance is the fact that prevailing ecological models of black-white socioeconomic inequality will be refined and tested using cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Specific hypotheses addressed include (a) Does economic growth-promote reductions in racial ineuality?; (b) Do increases in the relative size of the black population lead to greater racial inequalities?; (c) Does increasing concentration in manufacturing industries lead to reductions in inequality?; (d) Does the economic position of whites improve or erode when racial inequality declines?; (e) Does EEOC activity in local labor markets affect racial economic inequalities?; (f) To what degree have reductions in racial inequality at the national level resulted from the changing regional distribution of the black population?; and (g) How have changes in racial inequality differed over the periods 1950-1960, 9160-1970, and 1970-1980? At various points in our analy ses we will examine changes in racial inequality: (a) at the aggregate level; (b) within specific age-cohorts; and (c) within specific age-education categories. The possibilities for detailed analysis are greater for the time period 1970-1980 since detailed unpublished tabulations for metropolitan areas are available for the 1970 census and will be forthcoming for the 1980 census.